Against All Odds
by hanbefanficin
Summary: My first Emison story. Character POV. Takes place during Season 6 and continues. Slow build-up to Emison moments, bare with me. It'll be worth it ;)
1. Burn This

**Burn This**

 _Emily_

I feel as though I've just been hit by a bus; like I've had one too many tequila shots and I'm disorientated. My chest is starting to tighten. It's a feeling of confusion, and overwhelming sadness. I shouldn't be confused. I shouldn't be sad. This wasn't an entirely unpredictable event, and it shouldn't be affecting me the way it is. Nevertheless, I must double-check her words.

"What?" I manage to croak out, hoping it's a joke, or she's got her facts wrong. I'm not looking at her, but I can feel Aria's eyes burning into me. She's concerned. My face must be reflecting how I'm feeling on the inside.

"Yeah, I married them, last night. After my mom and dad's wedding. Ali and the doctor… I think his name is Elliot?"

"Oh…" I avoid her gaze and try to process what I'm feeling and why.

"Are you okay?"

I push the new information to the back of mind and smile at my friend. I can't deal with this now, not in front of anyone. This is something I need to think through with myself before I say anything out loud.

"Yeah… fine. Just kinda…"

"Heartbroken?"

"Shocked," I correct her firmly. But she knows I'm lying. She knows there's some conflict going on in my head.

"Look, Em, if you want to talk about it…"

"Aria, I'm fine!" Maybe that was a little too snappy. Why am I snapping? There's a gentle smile on her face but she's giving me that sympathetic doe-eyed look. I'm trying to offer a smile back but my face isn't cooperating. She makes a gesture with the cell phone in her hand.

"I'm just gonna call Hanna, she should be here by now."

"You know Han… Late to everything!"

"I know, but I was kinda hoping with two A's about, she'd be a little more vigilant."

As Aria gets out of her seat to find signal, I let out a deep sigh. Alison is married. _Married_. I don't know if there's a draught in the house or my mood has changed, but I'm suddenly feeling cold. I stand up and hug my jacket closer to me. Now, it's just me and my thoughts. I wonder what she looked like when she was getting married. Was she wearing a wedding dress? Was she happy? Smiling? Did the gentle curls in her hair fall in the beautifully casual way they always do? Did her groom appreciate every inch of her perfect face whilst holding her hands and saying his vows? I barely know this Elliot guy. All I know is that he was A's doctor… Charlotte's doctor, I mean.

 **...**

Aria and Hanna have given me the job of getting in touch with the elusive Spencer. I'm phoning her for the fifth time, but my mind wanders towards their conversation.

"It's just so weird. I mean, I barely know the guy's first name and now he's married to Ali?" Hanna is definitely the straight-talker in our group – the one who says things others are afraid to for fear of being inappropriate. I love her for that.

"Right… Well, I'm sure he seems like a stranger to us, but Alison and Elliot have known each other for years." Aria can't honestly be defending this decision, can she?

"They just started going out! I mean, what is this; their second date? Whatever happened to dinner and a movie?" I can't help but smirk at my best friend as she starts to tuck into leftover wedding cake. She knows this isn't sitting well with me, I can sense it in her tone.

"I'm sure it seems strange, but if you saw Alison and Elliot, it was… pretty romantic."

I can't take it anymore.

"Like romance has anything to do with it," I wish I could scream it, but I'm actually pretty calm. "Ali's lost everyone she's ever cared about. She's desperate for a family." I'm starting to sound kind of bitter…

Hanna's pretty quick to change the subject to her own wedding: "Maybe she's smart. If you elope, no one can throw you a bridal shower."

Aria laughs, gently. "Since when do you not like bridal showers? Gifts, expensive lingerie… cake! They're, like, made for you."

"Not when there are two monsters after us!"

At the mention of our new situation, I give up with these phone calls. I hang up and sigh. "Spencer's not answering."

"She's probably still dealing with the fallout from the Yvonne leak," Aria says, still tidying away from last night's wedding… Weddings.

"There's no way Spencer's parents would believe that Caleb did that." I say, firmly.

"Yeah, well, be glad that they do, because if they thought that we had a new A, they would march straight down to the police station." Aria makes a valid point. We can't drag our families into another one of these fucked up situations.

"You guys, our stalker already warned us, okay? If we talk to the cops, we're gonna have targets on our backs." I can tell Hanna's getting fired up, but I can't help but retaliate. Not after what I went through last night.

"We already do – Melissa tried to turn me into roadkill last night!" That's right. While Ali was probably having the most romantic night of her life, I was running for my life, trying to avoid being rundown by an SUV.

"She is not the one sending texts and going after Yvonne." Hanna says, sharply.

I put forward a suggestion: "Spencer could just tell Toby… I mean, he could quietly go and… "

"No! If we talk to Toby, there's nothing quiet about that. The whole Rosewood Police Force will be on a manhunt." She's right. Our voices are becoming raised and I'm praying this doesn't turn into a full-blown argument. To be honest, I don't even know why I suggested it.

"Okay, can we just talk about something nice for a second?" Aria settles our mood as she starts to flick through photos on her camera.

"I want my cake back!" Hanna jokes.

"Check out the pictures from the wedding."

My stomach churns as I'm not entirely sure which wedding she's talking about. Thankfully, it's her parents. I have to admit it, they're really sweet photos.

"Aw – your parents look so happy. Great job on the dress, Han!" I offer my best friend a quick compliment. I feel kind of bad about what just happened. She smiles at me in a 'I know' kind of way.

"That's weird," Aria stops suddenly. "I'm _in_ this picture. I wonder who took this one." She zooms in to something that captures the eyes of all of us. It's a white name card, the same as the others. The words printed on it send shivers down my spine: **Give Me the Killer…**

"Wait, there's more…"

The next one says: **By Election Night…**

I almost want to look away, and pretend this isn't happening, _again._ But, this is our current reality. The final card reads: **_Or_** **You** **Lose.** The stalker wants Charlotte's killer and they want her now. The problem is, how are we going to hand them over if we don't know who it is?

 **...**

Alongside helping Hanna prepare for her bridal shower, I've been trying to find evidence to prove that Melissa was driving that SUV. I'm exhausted. It's been a while since I've had to investigate into things like this. The guys at the garage were useless – drinking beer and reluctant to give any answers. When I asked about a dark grey SUV, I was simply met with a "can't help you". But, it was in their shop. Some greasy-haired guy caught me taking pictures. I showed them a picture of Melissa, and he stated that wasn't who brought the truck in. I guess it _wasn't_ her driving it.

I'm now at Hanna's bridal shower, nursing a glass of white wine I've had for the past half hour. Aria's explaining that she was called into a police line-up. She fits the description of someone who made a phone call to Charlotte from _The Two Crows_ on the night of her murder. I try to focus on the conversation before me. It's a good distraction from Alison. Apparently, she's honeymooning with her new husband. It makes me feel sick to my stomach.

"I don't get it," I say, trying to contribute something. "If Sara was framing us, then why were you free to go?"

"Maybe that's what Tanner meant when she said the police won't always act on every accusation right away." Aria seems extremely deep in thought.

"So, all we can do is wait for the other shoe to drop…" Hanna's worried. I feel bad. This is supposed to be such a happy occasion for her and all she can think about is A… Not A. Our stalker… Stalkers?

Mrs. Marin's walking towards us so we quickly stop the conversation.

"Hanna, you can't neglect your other guests. Why don't you lead the group in some ice breakers?" I adore Hanna's mom, but she sure can pick her moments.

"Sure… As soon as Spencer gets here."

Like clockwork, Spencer arrives ten minutes later. And, we're suddenly pulled into another stalker conversation. This time about Melissa. Mr. Hasting's told Spencer she was being blackmailed.

"Even if it is true, isn't that more of a reason Melissa would have wanted Charlotte dead?"

Spencer just comes up with more excuses, and I'm just blending into the conversation. Ali should be here. This whole party reminds me of her. The elegant decorations, the extravagant food, the happy conversations around the room, but particularly the gentle music that plays in the background. For a moment, I imagine slow dancing with her, but I'm brought out of my thoughts by Mrs. Marin clinking a spoon against her champagne glass.

"Ladies, if you could all move to the sofa… Sweetie, I thought you could open your presents now."

Hanna smiles at her mom before turning back to us, "If any of you guys have got me some kind of _toy…_ you're dead."

But, before she can move, there's a knock at her door. It's Mona with a gift. Before we know it, she's inside with us. Mrs. Marin has poured her a glass of prosecco and she's started quiet conversations with another groups of girls.

We start to discuss what it is she wants and why she's here. Suddenly, an alarm goes off. A deafening alarm. It takes me straight back to the time when A had us trapped in the dollhouse. There's sharp gusts of wind all around us, like the air conditioner's gone crazy. I can't move. I stay as close to the other girls as I possibly can but I can't find Aria. I look up to see she's at the other end of the room, picking up gifts. Flames seem to engulf her and it snaps me out of my daze. The other girls and I run to her.

 **...**

There's tears in my eyes as I stare out of Hanna's apartment window. "She has second-degree burns, but the doctors say she's going to be fine." Spencer gets a text on her phone, and by the look on her face, it can be from one of two people: Caleb or Toby. "It's my dad, I'll call you later," and with that, she rushes me into a hug before quickly exiting. I'm now alone. Again. I _hate_ it. I start to tidy up, and make sure my mind doesn't wander. I take down a box of rubbish only to find Mona by the trash cans.

"Is there any more?"

"No, that's it…" This is horribly awkward. "You didn't have to stay. I could have done this by myself." It comes out harsher than intended. She picks out the book she brought for Hanna. It was a wedding book she made for them both years ago. Mona was to marry Justin Timberlake, and Hanna was to marry Matt Damon. I must have accidently put it in the box. It's covered in scorch marks, and at a glance, it's hard to tell what it was originally.

"It seems whatever I do ends up this way… Good intentions that look like trash."

"Sorry," I look at her and mean it. I'm starting to think she does have shreds of decency about her.

"Need a ride?" She asks nonchalantly.

"No, it's okay. Mine's right here."

There's an uncomfortable silence before she pulls out her keys and walks towards her car. I notice something on her keys. Two pink dice are dangling from a keychain. _A hot brunette with a cheesy keychain._ That was the description of the woman at _The Two Crows_ diner.

"Was it you?" Mona turns to look at me. "Did you call Charlotte that night from _The Two Crows_ diner?"

"Emily, I can't talk about this here…" She's guilty as hell.

"Get in the car," I demand. "Get in the car!"


	2. Did You Miss Me?

**Did You Miss Me?**

 _Alison_

I feel achy and dizzy and drowsy. Elliot is beside me, telling me to stay down. I'm not sure where I am, but it's definitely not our bed. In fact, I think it's the floor… It's the floor at the bottom of the stairs. He's on the phone, reciting the address to the Bed and Breakfast place we're staying in for our honeymoon. Before I know it, I'm being questioned by paramedics and taken carefully into an ambulance. The ride is making me tired.

 **...**

I wake up in a hospital bed. This is never a good thing. I glance around the room looking for someone and spot my husband reading medical notes. I don't disturb him at first. It's not really him I want to talk to. Though he's handsome and charming and sweet, sometimes sickeningly so, he tends to analyse me whenever we talk about anything serious.

He spots I'm awake and starts to make excuses as to why I must stay in the hospital. He's a doctor, can he not look after me at home? He then implies we should sue the B&B.

"I don't wanna sue anybody," I sigh out. "I just want to go on a picnic."

"And, we will do… As soon as you're all checked out."

My head goes to a bizarre place. I'm thinking about the time I broke my elbow for the second time. I was fourteen. Emily came to visit me at the hospital. I was bored, and after about half an hour of convincing her I was okay, she helped me sneak out. We snuck down hallways, even having to dive into a janitor's closet at one point, laughing all the way out to the main entrance. The fresh air hit, and I felt like a new girl. Emily took me down to the park, and we sat under a huge oak tree with a blanket and whatever food we could grab from her mom's kitchen, gossiping and laughing for hours. It was the sweetest thing. But, Elliot's not even interested in getting me out. He knows I hate hospitals. I'd understand if I needed long-term treatment or I needed more tests, but this is a concussion. It's not a big deal. Especially when your husband is a doctor. Emily wouldn't leave me in here.

"What is it?" Elliot asks. I didn't realise, but my eyes had filled up with tears. I don't want him here. I want Em. I make up some bullshit excuse about how every happy moment needs to be paid for with a bad one, and how that thought got me upset. I then immediately ask him for my phone.

 **...**

 _Emily_

We're sitting in _The Brew,_ deep in conversation, when Spencer's phone buzzes. "Oh, my God. Ali's in the hospital," Spencer says, after a few seconds.

I let the words settle. My heart starts to race. "What? Why? What happened? Is she okay? Is Rollins with her?"

"Em, chill. She fell down some stairs. It's just a concussion. She says she'll be back tomorrow." I feel a biting sensation at the tops of my cheeks. Am I not allowed to be concerned about my friend? As Spencer starts to relay details about the hospital, my leg starts to shake and I'm feeling nervous. Spencer phone is buzzing again. She turns it around to reveal a selfie of Ali in hospital. How can she still look that cute with a concussion? "She says it was an accident."

"Do we believe that?" I ask, concerned.

"As much as I believe Aria being seared was an accident," Hanna quips, making me feel a little uncomfortable.

"What do you think, Spence?" Aria asks the voice of reason.

"Two out of five in the ER? That's 40%... It's 60% if you count what happened to Emily's eggs." She's says, referring a little too casually to my eggs being stolen from the clinic. I mean, our new stalker could be using my eggs right now. Creating a child that's half me, half evil. Why did I ever think egg donation was a good idea? If Ali was here, I'd feel a little better. She knows how important family is to me.

"Well, the odds aren't going to get any better the closer we get to election night." Hanna states.

"Three days," I add, almost as an afterthought.

"Hey, so, Ali's hospital's an hour away. I think I'm gonna go check up on her." She wants information – she has that determined look in her eyes.

"She says she'll be back tomorrow." Aria seems oblivious to this.

"Maybe she should think about going in the opposite direction." I don't mean it. I want her back here. I can't bear the thought of not seeing her every day. But, I want her to be safe. She's had years of running, and now this?

"Yeah, check on her, but _don't_ freak her out." Spencer says firmly. "And, it might be best if she stays away until after the election.

"What do we do about Mona?" I feel a sense of relief as Aria changes the subject.

"Keep a close eye on her," Spencer's voice has turned apathetic. I can't really blame her. If my mom was running for state senator, I doubt I'd be able to think of much else.

"You guys, Mona did not kill Charlotte!" I wish Hanna would keep her voice down. "She couldn't."

"She's got as much motive as anybody! Probably more!" Aria seems convinced.

"She admits to getting Charlotte out of her house. I mean, she's telling the truth... Just not all of it." I'm just relaying the same facts we've heard over and over again. I'm trying to piece it together as I say it out loud, but I also can't help but think of Ali in that hospital bed. I'm suddenly reminded of the time I helped her sneak out of the hospital when she broke her elbow…

I can practically feel Spencer roll her eyes. "Mona's changed so many times, I doubt she even knows herself when she looks in the mirror!"

 **...**

 _Hanna_

Ali looks terrible in that hospital bed. Well, she never looks terrible. But, not her best. I must admit, she looked a little disappointed to see me walk into her hospital room. The first thing she asked was if I came alone. Kinda weird. She was probably looking for Em. Those two may not always get along like a house on fire (poor choice of words, brain), but there's definitely something between them that I can't quite put my finger on.

Ali's room is _filled_ with flowers. I mean, how many people know she's actually in hospital? She's only here for a day… No… Focus, Hanna! You're here for answers!

"So, did you feel… dizzy or anything?"

"No, I felt fine. All of sudden my feet were there but the stairs weren't." I feel sorry for her – she shouldn't have to go through this on her honeymoon.

"I'm so sorry, Ali."

She quickly brushes it off, "It was just a stupid accident… Do you like my honeymoon lingerie?" She quips, referring to her hospital gown. This makes me genuinely laugh. This is the Ali I know.

"You look great!" I lie. "Hey, what did the doctors say?"

"They want me to stay because of the concussion, but they'll spring me tomorrow."

"Back to the bridal suite?" I raise my eyebrows suggestively.

"Back to Rosewood!" Ah, at least that's a bit of good news. I can't wait to tell Em. Wait… What? Why was that my first thought? "Elliot got a call for a conference in Chicago. They want him on the panel," she says smiling sweetly. I don't know why. That's kind of an odd thing for your new husband to do. _Oh, you're in the hospital? Cool, I'm just gonna head to the other side of the country half-way through our honeymoon, and leave you to recover at home alone. See ya!_ I definitely wouldn't be happy if Jordan did that to me.

"You're going to be in Rosewood by yourself?" I ask concerned.

"I don't mind," she's still smiling. "For the first time, that house really feels like mine."

I decide to change the subject quickly before I reveal my true feelings about how selfish I think her new husband is being. "God, all these flowers… did you fall down some stairs or enter the Rose Parade?"

Alison chuckles softly, "Elliot sent them!"

"All of them?" Yep, this guy's definitely overcompensating for something. I guess I shouldn't be so quick to judge, but I'm not keen on the guy. He's sort of… I don't know… creepy? I guess.

Ali shrugs, "He's working on his husband creds."

He's coming into the room, better plaster a fake smile on, quickly. "Oh, hi, newlywed!"

"Hanna! Thank you so much for coming!" The tone in his voice tells me he's surprised, rather than grateful.

"We stick together. You should know that by now." That seemed… unnecessary on Ali's behalf. I smile at Elliot and turn to look at the flowers, giving him a moments privacy with his wife, but making sure to stay in earshot. I'm not really listening, but it's comforting to have some background noise as I see something that catches my eye: a card with stairs on it. I reach out and open it. As I see what's inside, my stomach churns. There's a picture of five cartoon girls. The ones that look like Ali, Aria and Emily have big red crosses drawn right through them. I fold it up quickly, and put it in my bag.

 **...**

"I really want to thank you for coming. We weren't expecting it." Rollins says, as he sees me out of Ali's room. He doesn't seem thankful. This all seems very… forced.

"Well, no one likes to be in hospital, especially away from home." I take a pause before continuing. I'm not too sure how much to say to this guy. "Um… this place is okay, isn't it?"

"The hospital? Yeah. I checked out the staff. Ali's getting the best. I'm probably overreacting a bit, but I figure that's part of my job now." He has an incredibly charming smile. I can see why she fell for it.

"And, her concussion, they're gonna check on her right? They're not gonna leave her alone?" Like you.

"They check on her, and I'm with her most of the time."

"Good!" I'm not too sure I mean that…

"I'm just starting to understand how loyal you are to Alison. The way you look out for each other… It's remarkable."

"Yeah, well, we're all connected like a big bowl of linguini…" I try and make a joke but he's just staring at me. Seriously, I reserve my previous judgement, the guy's creepy. "Um… if she needs anything, call me."

"I will."

 **...**

 _Emily_

My phone buzzes and I'm about to read the text I've been waiting for all day.

 ** _Hey Em, she's fine. Her husband kinda creeps me out, but she's good. Xxxx_**

Her words make me smile. I breathe out a sigh of relief. I have so many questions, but I guess those can wait until later.

 **...**

 _Alison_

A figure standing outside my door stirs me from a peaceful sleep. I gasp and quickly turn on my light to reveal… my mom… What? No, it's not real. It's got to be the concussion, or the drugs, or both.

"Don't be afraid," That's her voice. She looks like my mom and sounds like my mom. This is ridiculous, ghosts don't exist. "Please, I don't want to scare you."

It's the drugs… it must be the drugs. Or, I'm dreaming…

"I don't care what it is," I didn't realise I was saying those things out loud. My mom sits on my bed and continues, "I'm just glad to see you – to talk to you. My little angel."

If I don't get to talk to her when I'm awake… then I'm going to take advantage now. "Mommy?"

"Everything's going to be alright now," she says to me, soothingly. "Elliot will take care of you."

"You know about Elliot," I smile at her.

"I know he's a good man. I know he loves you." This stirs up a peculiar feeling in my gut. Why is my mother telling me this? "He'll protect you. The way that I wasn't able to." I feel uncomfortable. And confused. This isn't as nice as I thought it'd be. "Rest, darling," she finishes. And, as she strokes my hair, I can tell… that's not my mother. But, I close my eyes anyway, and try to drift off.

As she leaves (or I wake up, I'm not sure which), my eyes flutter open. I'm hit with an overwhelming need to contact Emily. I reach for my phone and search for her number. I don't even know what I want to say to her…

 **...**

 _Emily_

It's late, and we're gathered at Hanna's. We're discussing using Hanna as bait to lure out A – a plan which I'm not particularly happy with. It's extremely dangerous.

"And, you can get all of that ready in time?" Ezra asks, sceptically.

"I've already started. I can have it when we need it," Caleb says confidently.

"Are you _sure_ you want to do this?" Aria turns to Hanna, just as concerned as me about her wellbeing.

"I wouldn't have thought of it if I wasn't ready to do it!" Hanna says firmly. She's wavering, I can tell.

We all shift collectively in our seats, worried if this plan would put Hanna in too much danger.

"Look, guys, this isn't a democracy, okay?" Caleb says, calmly. "We're not taking votes. This is something that Hanna and I decided to do… And, the only thing you've got to decide is whether or not you're gonna help us." I can't think straight. My best friend is about to put her life on the line to help save us all. I'm contemplating whether I should try and talk or out of it or just agree to help.

"Nobody here's gonna let you do this by yourself," Spencer says firmly.

"Alright, so let's get started…" Hanna walks a few paces before talking to the voice recognition on her phone. "Leave my friends alone. I killed Charlotte." She sends the text, and my stomach is doing flips.


	3. Hush, Hush, Sweet Little Liars: Part One

**Hush, Hush, Sweet Little Liars: Part One**

 _Emily_

Only ten minutes has passed, but it feels like we've been waiting hours. Hanna, Aria, Spencer, Caleb, Ezra, and I are still in Hanna's apartment. Some of us are pacing, some of us are sat fidgeting, but we're all waiting for the same thing: A's reply. I'm sat on the back of the couch, close enough to Hanna but making sure she has enough space.

My own phone buzzes, sending all eyes in Hanna's direction. "Sorry, it's just mine." I say, genuinely apologetic. The others go back to pacing or fidgeting whilst I read a message. It's a very simple message from Ali, which reads: " ** _I miss you, Emily Fields. x_** " Suddenly, my heart's all flutter-y, and I can feel a small smile creep onto my face. That is until I remember we're about to practically sacrifice Han to our stalker. I throw the phone into my bag. I'll message her in the morning; it's kind of late, anyway. I wonder why she's thinking of me at this time. I hope she's okay. I wish she was with us now. She's smart, she'd know how to help us with this. I could kind of do with her comforting arms right now, too.

Another five minutes has passed, and Aria's phone rings. She's standing by the window to try and get a decent reception.

"Anything?" Spencer asks Hanna for the third time. Hanna has had enough of verbalising her response and simply shakes her head.

Aria is suddenly standing next to me after her brief phone conversation. "That was Alison, she's headed home tomorrow, but Elliot's going to a conference in Chicago." The comments seem to be for everyone, but I know they're directed at me.

"She shouldn't be alone," is my immediate response.

"None of you should 'til this is over," Ezra chimes in.

How could he leave her alone? That bastard! She's just been in hospital! What if she gets ill whilst he's away? How long is he going for? I need to make sure she's going to be okay.

"Guys, she's typing," Hanna's words bring me back to earth. We all gather around the phone, anxiously. Seconds later, the message appears: " ** _If you're lying, I shoot all of you."_**

"If you're lying, I shoot all of you?" Caleb's speaking as though he doesn't understand the text, but he knows all too well what this stalker is capable of.

"Hanna, are you sure that you wanna do this?" Spencer is starting to get really concerned, her voice very rarely wavers like that.

"First it was Aria, then Ali. Whoever's next could end up lying in a casket instead of a hospital bed." Very briefly, she looks back at me with sad eyes before continuing. "We all decided this is the best thing to do."

"Okay, but we can un-decide, it's not too late," Spencer reassures her.

"Yeah, well… I trust Caleb," Ouch! If I know Hanna Marin the way I do, I'd say that was a little dig at Spencer and Caleb's new romance.

"…I do, too," Spencer says, calmly.

Aria and I exchange an awkward glance as Hanna starts to text back. I look over her shoulder to see her type out: " ** _It's the truth. I'll call the cops._** _"_

Almost immediately after it is sent, I hear Aria say, "She's sending another text." These seconds seem like hours. "No police," Aria reads. I watch Hanna and Caleb share a glance. I think this is going to plan. "Another text!" Aria spots the three dots appear on the screen again.

"This is between you and me." Spencer reads from Hanna's phone.

"Sara Harvey took the bait," Caleb states positively.

Hanna begins to type one more message: **_"I need one more day."_**

As I read the words, **_"It'll be your last"_** from my best friend's phone, I press my fist to my mouth and try to stop the tears in my eyes from spilling over. What if this is a terrible mistake?

 **...**

 _Emily_

I decided to wait for the others to leave until I spoke to Hanna. She's saying goodbye to Aria. I watch their exchange and Aria doesn't seem too keen about leaving her either. She finally closes the door as Aria walks down the hall. She slumps on the sofa next to me and leans her head on my shoulder. I rest my head on top of hers. It's been a pretty exhausting day.

"Are you sure about this?" I say, barely above a whisper.

"Look, like I said before, Em – I trust Caleb. She's not going to be able to get anywhere near me." She grabs my hand and squeezes it. "I think you're more scared than I am."

I lift my head. "So, you admit you're a little scared?" Aha – Caught her! She faces me and sighs at my facial expression. She shakes her head with a smile.

"Nothing gets passed you, Em!" She suddenly turns serious again, which I know means I need to listen intently. "I trust him to keep me safe. I trust _you_ to keep me safe. There's always going to be a risk when we deal with people like this. But, we've got to try something… Before it's too late." Her eyes are sad but determined. "I can't risk losing you, Em. Or Aria, or Spencer, or Ali. We'll go through the motions, and, hopefully, it'll be all over in a couple of days."

"There's got to be a safer way…" My eyes dart around the room as though I'm searching for another option.

"Em, there isn't," she fixes her eyes on mine. She's more determined than ever. "It'll be over soon."

 **...**

 _Emily_

It's 7am and I'm not in my bed. Where am I? I roll over to find a blonde woman next to me and it makes me jump. For a moment, I think it's Alison, but that would be asking too much of fate. It's Hanna. I stopped at Hanna's. I slide out of her bed, and make my way to the kitchen. I pull a frying pan out of one of her cupboards, and start making fried eggs. I throw in some bacon and mushrooms and put a can of beans on to simmer before putting some bread in the toaster. I can hear Hanna's footsteps on her spiral staircase.

"Oh, my God, that smells good." She looks exhausted. Like me, she didn't get that much sleep. "Aren't I supposed to do that? Y'know, you being the guest and all." She takes a seat at her dining table.

"You're gonna need a good breakfast, we've got a long day ahead of us," I plate her food up and place it in front of her.

"All this grease is gonna weigh me down when I'm running from A tomorrow, y'know." She's teasing me, I know she is. She's trying to lighten the mood. She tucks in before she catches a glimpse of my facial expression. "Oh, c'mon, I was kidding. This is good!" She finishes, pointing towards her plate.

"It's not funny, Hanna," I sit in the seat opposite her, a cup of coffee clasped in my hands. It's all I can look at.

"Are you not gonna try this? You're not a bad cook!"

I shake my head and say, "not hungry," all the while staring at my coffee.

"Em, look at me…" When I refuse to cooperate, she chuckles a little. "Look at me!" I turn my head towards her. She places a hand on my forearm. "It's going to be fine."

 **...**

 _Alison_

I've just finished saying goodbye to my husband. Husband. The word still doesn't fit right. I guess it just takes some getting used to.

Now, I'm feeling lonely. I know I'm not supposed to move from the house, but I'm awfully tempted to leave these four walls. As if by magic, there's a knock at my front door. I open it to reveal a familiar face I can't help but beam at.

"Emily, come in," she rushes me into a hug and my senses go crazy. She smells amazing – it's the perfect mixture of cocoa butter and her natural scent. Her skin is unbelievably soft, as though she's been wrapped up in cotton wool her whole life. Much to my dismay, she ends the embrace early, but keeps me close. She brushes a few strands of my hair from my face and tucks them behind my ears before taking my face in her hands. She stares deeply into my eyes, and for a moment I think that she might kiss me. My heart feels as though it could leap through my chest at any second.

"Are you okay?" she asks, concern evident in her voice. I smile and lean into her left hand.

"I'm fine," I say convincingly. In all honesty, my head's still a little fuzzy. I'm sure these meds are hindering rather than helping me.

"Good… you scared me," I'm lost in her for a moment. She looks tired, but she's stunning. Her long, black hair has its natural wave, and she's free of any makeup. Always a goddess. "You should be resting, come sit down," and, before I know it, she's leading me to the couch, wrapping me up in a blanket as I sit down. "Do you want tea? I could make tea…"

"Em, come sit down," I say with a smile. Something tells me this isn't just about my concussion. "Where were you last night? You look tired." Please don't say 'on a date', please don't say 'on a date'.

"Is that a nice way of telling me I look like crap?" She shoots me that classic Emily smile as she slumps down next to me.

"Oh, please, you're not capable of looking like crap," I say immediately. Is she blushing?

"I stopped at Han's," Phew. "I didn't sleep all that well. Then this morning I helped Caleb build an electric fence." Huh? What? What is she up to? "Long story, I'll explain another time." She can read me like a book. She's hiding something from me. It's probably in my best interest that I don't know. She's protecting me, like she always does. But, I'll be making a note to ask about that fence later.

"It sounds to me like _you're_ the one that should be resting." Suddenly, her expression changes. She appears tortured with whatever is going on inside her head.

 ** _..._**

 _Emily_

She's so kind and gentle. I wish other people could see this side to her. I _do_ need rest. But, I can't stop thinking about the fact that this woman next to me is married. And that tomorrow Hanna's going to be putting herself in a lot of danger. What if something goes wrong? What if Han gets hurt? Or, worse? I can feel myself shaking. Tears are stinging my eyes. "Em?" I try to reply to Ali but it's all getting too much. Instead, I burst into tears. As she pulls me into her arms, she's saying something I can't quite make out. I think it's just words of comfort. After a few minutes of her stroking my hair and holding me close, I feel calm. My head is on her chest, and her steady breathing seems to be the only thing that's stopping me from going into a full blown panic attack.

 **...**

 _Alison_

The tears stopped a while ago, but I don't want to say anything to set her off again. She seems to be getting more peaceful by the second. I've never seen her like this before, and I don't want to see it ever again. I glance down to make sure she's okay, and find that she's asleep. Without really thinking, I place a gentle kiss on her forehead, and move us to a comfier position. She's practically on top of me now, but I don't mind, she barely weighs anything. I let one hand lazily stroke up and down her back. It's a motion that's not only soothing for Emily but for me, too. She makes my heart melt when she's asleep. The look on her face is so content; a complete contrast to what it was a half hour ago. The grip she's had on my shirt finally begins to loosen, and her hand moves to rest on my stomach. Though my head's fuzzy, I don't much feel like sleeping. I'm trying to figure out what has my Emily so upset. Hold up, _my_ Emily? No, no. Just… Emily. My _friend_ Emily. That's what I meant. Who's upset her like this? Is it a girl? There's a feeling of jealousy resting in the pit of my stomach which is soon replaced by guilt. I love Elliot. I genuinely do. He helped me so much with Charlotte. And, he's so charming. But, given the choice, I can't help but wonder who I'd be with. Deep down, I know the answer. I'm just going to have to try and convince myself otherwise.

Emily starts to stir. Please, don't get up yet… Just five more minutes like this. She opens her eyes to reveal those beautiful brown orbs. She looks about the room, trying to decipher where she is. Finally, her eyes lock with mine, and she smiles. "Hey," it comes out as a whisper. Like she doesn't want anyone else to catch this moment.

I brush a few strands of hair out of her face, and ask, "how are you feeling?"

"Better! I think I was just overtired!" She starts to sit up, and I reluctantly take my arms from around her so I can sit up, too. "Sorry… I'm supposed to be the one taking care of you. Not the other way around."

"We've always taken care of one another," I say as I smile back at her reassuringly. Her phone buzzes and she reads the text in front of her. She tries to keep a neutral face but a twitch in her jaw gives her away.

"I'm going to make you dinner tonight," she says out the blue. "I'm just going to nip out for, like, ten minutes." With that, she switches the TV on, and covers me over with the blanket. She hugs me quickly. She's in a rush to get somewhere. "Do you want anything in particular?"

I'm not going to question her. She's clearly under a lot of stress, whatever it is. I don't want to add to it. "Thanks, Em. I'm sure anything you wanna make is fine." She flashes that gorgeous smile again before she heads out the door.

"I won't be long," and I'm alone. Again. I hate it.

 **...**

 _Emily_

I'm back at Ali's a little later than expected. I walk through the door with bags full of chicken, potatoes, salad and wine.

"Hey, Ali, I'm gonna make chicken and roast potatoes with salad," I shout as I walk into the kitchen and start to unpack. "I don't know about you, but I'm _starving,_ so it's just something that won't take too long to prepare. The quicker it's done, the better, right? I also brought wine, because… y'know… wine." Why am I not getting a reply? Ali loves wine – of any variety! Where is she? "Ali?" I walk into her living room and don't see her at first. At another scan I see her near the table with the phone. She's sat on the floor with her knees pulled to her chest, staring at nothing. I move towards her and place a hand on her back, but she doesn't move. "Ali?" I try again. "Hey, what's going on?" I start to rub her back gently, hoping it will snap her out of her daze.

"I… I saw my mom," she says with tears in her eyes. "A-and she called," she glances at the telephone, then looks at me, almost as though she's hoping I have an answer for this. I do – it's the drugs!

"Ali... I know it seems real, but it's not," I explain carefully. "C'mon," I guide her towards the sofa and sit with her for a moment. I place a hand on her knee, "I'm gonna start making dinner, okay?" With no response, I get up, but I'm stopped by both of her hands on mine.

"Please don't go again," the unfallen tears amplify the piercing blue colour in her eyes.

"I'm just going to be in the next room," I sit back down next to her. "Ali, look at me," she listens straight away and her eyes are locked with mine. "She wasn't real," I wait a few seconds for it to sink in. "Say it with me… She wasn't real."

"Sh-She wasn't real… She wasn't real," this seems to calm her considerably. The shakes she previously had dissipate into nothing. God, poor Ali. Those painkillers are really messing her around. I pull her close for a few moments, so she can feel me. So she can feel I'm real. She's clutching to my top in the same manner I was holding on to her earlier. We really _do_ look after each other.

I take her hand, and lead her into the kitchen, so she can see me as I'm preparing the food. She sits at the dining table, and I can feel her eyes following my every move.

 **...**

 _Alison_

She really is wonderful. She's already looking after me ten times better than Elliot has. She knows exactly what to say and what to do in almost any situation. She makes me feel worthy of being cared about.

It's not long before she places a beautifully presented meal in front of me. It smells phenomenal. With my mind finally settled, I realise how hungry I am.

We both dig in, making small talk before moving onto the topic of my mom, which Emily doesn't shy away from. I tell her how she looked and sounded when I saw her today, and she looks at me with sympathy. She reassures me again that they are only hallucinations. I decide to think of a happier moment I saw my mother.

"I had an amazing dream about her in the hospital. She wanted me to know she was proud of me." I'm careful to avoid any mention of Elliot. I don't like talking about him with Emily – it stirs up some horrible feelings.

"I had a dream like that.," a small smile graces her face as she tells the story. "After my dad's funeral. I fell asleep on the coach and he woke me up. He was wearing his dress blues and he looked so handsome." She takes a deep breath and finishes with: "He came to say goodbye."

"Think it was really him?"

"I'd like to think so," she exhales sharply. She doesn't want me to think she's crazy, and it's adorable. "Maybe it felt so real because I wanted it to be."

"I didn't wanna see my mom the way she looked today."

"Ali, those painkillers are really strong," she says quickly. She just wants me to be okay, and forget what happened earlier. I know this girl inside out. "They can mess with your head."

"Yeah… when they list the side effects, they should say 'it may cause crazy visions'." I grab the pills from the table and throw them in the bin. I don't care what Rollins advises, they definitely aren't helping me.

"I'd like to see that commercial… May cause drowsiness, loss of appetite, crazy visions, in some cases, your dead mother might even call you on the telephone." I can't help but smile at this quirkiness. It's one of my favourite traits of hers.

"Well, I hate that you have to babysit me," I say, knowing Emily could be out on the town having fun right now. "But, I'm really happy that you're here."

She smiles at me, and simply states: "Me, too." And, I can tell, she really means it.


	4. Hush, Hush, Sweet Little Liars: Part Two

**Hush, Hush, Sweet Little Liars: Part Two**

 _Aria_

I came to Alison's to see Emily. We're discussing the draft of the book I'm writing with Ezra over a bottle of red wine. Em looks tired, but she's determined to be a good friend and discuss my book and this weird love triangle I've gotten myself into with Ezra and Liam. She's been looking after Alison all day, as well as helping us prepare for tomorrow. No wonder she's tired.

I love talking with Emily. She's one of the most reassuring humans I know. It's actually nice to have our minds away from A for a few minutes. After another glass of wine, we're taking a trip down memory lane. It isn't long until we're laughing. Actually laughing!

Suddenly, our conversation's interrupted by a piercing scream from upstairs. Emily's on her feet before I can even move. By the time I put my wine glass down, she's half-way up the stairs. Somehow, I manage to catch up to her before we enter Ali's room. I flick the light on, and call out for our friend.

"Ali?"

"Oh my God, Ali," Emily's voice is shaky. We turn to face Ali, who's hiding next to her dresser. Quickly, I kneel down and start to talk calmly to her.

"Ali, what is it?"

"He was just here…" She looks terrified. Her eyes are wide and she's shaking.

"Ali, there's nobody in the house but us," Emily tries. It doesn't seem to be calming Ali, which is unusual. Something's got her really spooked.

"It's okay, it's just another bad dream," I move my hand to her shoulder, trying to soothe her.

"He touched me. I felt it," she says, determined.

"Who, Ali? Who are you talking about?" I'm eager to know what has her like this.

"Wilden."

Emily and I exchange a glance. Emily looks desperately sad – like she's going to burst out crying and be sick all at the same time.

"I'm gonna call Elliot," and with that, she's out of the room.

Ali stares at me with anxious eyes, "What's wrong with me?"

I have no idea what to say.

 **…**

 _Emily_

Well, Elliot was useless. He's staying in Chicago, and I am under strict instruction not to let Alison out of my sight. Not that I was going to anyway.

Before she left, Aria managed to get Ali back into bed, but she's still wide awake. I sit next to her, and she immediately reaches for my hand. "I'm sorry for being so crazy."

I can feel my brow furrow, "You're not crazy, don't ever say that again!" It comes across a little harsher than intended, and she winces. I rub the top of her hand with my thumb as a sort of non-verbal apology.

"Will you stay with me?" She asks, puppy dog eyes on full attack. "Keep the ghosts away?" How could anyone say no to that?

"Of course," I whisper. "Let me just get my pyjamas." Reluctantly, I let go of her hand and walk into the spare bedroom where I put my overnight bag. I change into my shorts and vest top here to avoid any awkwardness of changing in front of Ali. I need to keep reminding myself that she's married now, and he seems like a nice guy. Even if he does creep Han out.

I come back into her room, and crawl into the bed Ali shares with her husband. She turns to face me, looking at me strangely. She's probably wondering what I'm doing; flat on my back staring at the ceiling with my arms by my sides. I look as though I'm in a coffin.

"Are you alright?" she asks, confusion evident in her voice. Quick, change the subject.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" I smile at her, trying to ease her worries. It seems to work a little. But, then she turns serious again.

"He felt just like Elliot," I turn my body to face her. She wants to talk. She _needs_ to talk. "The way Wilden held my hand, the way he touched my face… I thought it was Elliot." I feel a shudder go down my spine at the thought of Elliot touching Alison at all. This is ridiculous. I'm going to have to get over this, and soon.

"It's going to be okay, Ali," I stroke her upper arm with the back of my fingers. She watches this action for a few seconds, then seems to study my face.

"You're real, I can tell." This sentence alone scares me. The painkillers are starting to make her lose touch with reality. I'm glad she put them in the trash.

 **…**

 _Alison_

Emily is still stroking my arm and keeping me grounded. She's always there for me, keeping me safe. I shuffle forward a little and rest my head on her shoulder. Her arms surround me, and I feel more protected than I've ever been in my life.

After a few minutes of silence, I hear her tender voice: "Ali?" I don't reply. My eyes are closed. All I want to do right now is sleep in her arms. She shifts a little and presses her soft lips to my forehead. My God, I want this all the time. I can never have it. Especially not now I'm married. I'm going to have to learn to settle for second best.

 **…**

I wake a few hours later to find Emily tossing and turning in bed. Somehow, we must have become separated in the night. She's not being particularly boisterous, I'm just a light sleeper. She whimpers a little, and my heart leaps into my mouth. I grab her by the middle, and try to steady her. She's resistant to it. I pull her closer, and make soothing "shh" noises, as I stroke her hair. She stops moving, and her body seems to melt into mine. But she's still not rested. A bead of sweat rolls down the side of her face, and she's frowning in her sleep. Without a second thought, I start to place soft kisses on her forehead and cheeks. Her face starts to relax. I pull myself back slightly, and remind myself that I married Elliot, not Emily.

 **…**

Morning rolls around and I feel her sit bolt upright in bed, probably trying to escape from the latest nightmare. I open my eyes in time to see her try and get her laboured breathing under control. Still half-asleep, I place a hand on her back. It makes her jump at first, but as I sit up and start to rub up and down, it seems to soothe her anxieties.

"Just a dream, Em," I say, barely above a whisper. She nods, and seems to straighten out her thoughts within a matter of seconds. The disjointed breathing stops, and I watch as she becomes physically calmer. "Rough night?" I ask, once I know she's fully settled.

"Yeah… Two in a row," she props a pillow up against the headboard, and leans back. "Did I wake you? In the night? Sometimes I get a bit restless." She states with apologetic eyes. Still putting my needs before hers. It's as though it's automatic for her now.

"It's fine," I reassure her with a smile as I mirror her actions. I can't say much else. I'm absolutely lost in her. The sunlight coming in through my window hits her skin perfectly. Her eyes, though tired, don't ever lose their sparkle. Her dishevelled hair is over one shoulder, leaving one side of her elegant neck exposed. She's exquisite. How anyone can look this beautiful after two nights of barely sleeping is beyond me.

"God, I'm sorry, Ali. I was supposed to be here to _help_ you sleep, not stop you from sleeping." She scrunches her hair with one hand, before looking back at me. "Can I do anything for you?"

"Yes," I begin, seriously. "You can stop apologising, and let me bring you a cup of coffee in bed." She smiles at me, but I can tell she still feels guilty. "Em, it was such a great comfort having you here," I start. "I slept more than I thought I could, and you kept the monsters away all night." This seems to satisfy her. I squeeze her thigh, before tearing myself from the bed to make breakfast.

 **…**

It's not long before Emily joins me in the kitchen, fully dressed and ready for the day. I kinda liked it better when she was wearing her pyjama shorts and revealing vest top… No, brain. Out of gutter. "Where are you off to?" I ask, confused. I place a mug of coffee in front of her: black, one sugar, just how she likes it.

"I completely forgot it's election day," she says, sadly. "I'm so sorry, I'm going to have to go and show my support for Spencer's mom, or she's gonna kill me!"

I grab her hand to stop her ramble before it starts, "Em, I'm going to be fine." She squeezes back, as she bites her lip.

"I'm sorry for being so useless," she looks defeated. She swigs the coffee, and downs half the cup in one go. "I won't be long," she gets up, grabs her purse and buckles up her heels. Before she can escape, I twirl her around and pull her into a hug.

"You are anything but useless, Emily Fields."

 **…**

"I can't believe Emily left you alone," Elliot says down the phone. He's one to talk! I frown at his words. It's like he's trying to make her some sort of villain.

"She won't be long, she just went to vote," I feel my walls build up a little. I shouldn't have to defend her against my husband.

"If you have another dream, just tell yourself it's your mind playing tricks on you. Alison, this is all about misplaced guilt," Oh, here he goes, analysing me again.

"Elliot, I'm not going to sleep 'til you get home, so… you don't need to worry about me." I want him home. I don't want to stop seeing Emily, but I don't want to become a burden on her either.

"I'll call you on my way to the airport."

"See you tonight."

He finishes the conversation with: "Bye, love."

As I hang up, I can't help but wonder if newlywed couples should be a little more besotted with each other than this. I feel like we're in a strange rut already.

 **…**

 _Emily_

The voting took longer than expected. I got roped into talking to potential voters, proudly sporting a Veronica Hastings badge. Alison's been alone for a half hour. I hope she's okay. I don't bother to knock the front door. I walk into her living room, but there's no sign of her.

"Ali?" I call out. I start to walk towards the kitchen, but the sound of her phone ringing stops me. I walk over to the coffee table where it's been seemingly abandoned. It's Elliot on video chat. Before I know what I'm doing, I accept the call. "Hello?"

"Emily?" He has piercing eyes. Not in the same way Ali's are piercing. They're darker; more cryptic. "Where's Alison?"

"I don't know," I answer truthfully. He starts to yell. A LOT. I understand his anger, but I don't have to for this. I hang up the phone, shove it in my pocket and head out the door.

 **…**

 _Spencer_

"Melissa… it's still the same!" This is literally the 23rd time she has called. I'm trying not to be too harsh with her. After all, she's concerned about mom. But, twenty-three phone calls? Seriously? "I will let you know!"

"Send my love to mom," she says.

"I will let her know… Okay… Bye!" I hang up before she can say anything else and turn to my mom and exhale sharply. "That was Melissa. She's sending her love for the tenth time this hour." Mom smiles back at me, knowing how my sister can be.

"I swear she's more nervous than I am!" She chuckles before dad hands us a glass of champagne each.

As he's starting a toast, my mind wanders onto other matters:

1\. Hanna is about to use herself as bait in order to attract our stalker.

2\. I told Caleb I loved him and I'm not even sure _why_ I did that.

3\. Alison is missing.

My mind seems to stick with the latter. Emily called me about three hours ago. She was barely comprehensible. She was rambling and stuttering, barely able to get her words out. She was panic-stricken. I eventually managed to get it out of her that she couldn't find Alison. I advised her to look around our block, and call me back with any news. I haven't heard from her so far. Suddenly, my phone rings. Speak of the devil!

"I'll be right back," I excuse myself from my mom and dad's conversation, and find a quiet spot to take the call. "Hey, did you find Alison?"

"No, and I searched your entire neighbourhood," she says, miserably. "Spence, can you help me look for her?" She pleas. Not a great time, Em!

"Emily, Toby's already upstairs in the hotel room. Hanna and Caleb are at The Lost Woods, I mean, the plan is in motion, I can't leave!"

"I know," she sighs. "I have a bad feeling about this." I'm not sure if she's referring to Ali or Hanna's safety. I think it's probably both. It's apparent she's never been over Ali, but her best friend also putting herself in danger is not ideal right now. I decide to help her focus solely on Ali.

"She's scared, and, uh… she thinks that she's seeing dead people. So, where would you go if you wanted to feel safe?" I hope this helps her.

 **…**

 _Emily_

Something suddenly clicks. I know exactly where to find her. "Thanks, Spence. Good luck to your mom!"

"Em," she stops me before I hang up.

"Yeah?"

"Be careful, I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I'll be fine, Hanna and Caleb are distracting Sara Harvey, right?"

"That's not what I meant…" Huh? What does she mean? There's a lot of noise in the background, but I can just about hear her say: "I've got to go, I'll see you later."

As I hang up, my mind's back to Hanna. I text her quickly: **"Stay safe, H. I love you x"** I put the phone into my pocket. As I walk out of Ali's door once again, it vibrates.

 **"Caleb's done a great job. STOP WORRYING! I love you, too x"**

I can imagine her nagging at me for my concern, and it makes me smile. Best friends are able to do that, even in times of crisis.

As I walk down the road, I pull my denim jacket closer to me. Why is she still having these hallucinations? She stopped taking the painkillers. She's been through a hell of a lot lately. It's enough to crack the strongest of people. My eyes prick with tears. Am I actually contemplating this? Could Ali be sick? I hope and pray to whatever's out there that she's not.

As I approach my destination, I stop and study the building. This is where Ali comes to church weekly. The place where we said goodbye to her in. Where her mom's funeral was held. Where Charlotte was pushed. Where we've been questioned by police so many times. To an outsider, this would seem like the most unsafe place for us to be. Yet, somehow, I understand why she'd be here. It's a pretty consistent part of our lives.

I walk through the big doors, and quietly walk down the aisle. I don't want to freak her out. I can hear her quietly sobbing towards the front of the pews. I can see her. She has her knees pulled to her chest, and her hands clasped together as though she's praying.

"Ali?" I shock her. She looks scared. Scared of me. Why? "I've been looking everywhere for you!" I crouch down opposite her and place my hands on her knees.

"I knew they wouldn't follow me here," she says through gritted teeth. At this moment, in time, she doesn't even look like Ali. She's a shell of the woman she usually is. It breaks my heart. "I deserve it. This is my punishment."

"No, Ali… Your mom and Wilden are dead," I try to snap her out of it. Please come back to me.

"They came back for me. And, they're going to take me straight to hell," No, Ali, please stop. Please try and think clearly; think rationally. PLEASE. Don't leave me. Not again. We need to get out of this place.

"Okay… We can't stay here, okay?"

"YES! I can," she snaps. She's so anxious.

"Listen to me," I'm firm. I need her back. "This is like Elliot said," Hopefully the mention of her husband should bring her around a little. "This is all in your head, remember? These are hallucinations."

"I can't tell what's real anymore," the tears in her eyes start to spill over. I need to hold mine back. I need to be strong for her. "Emily, I need help." I feel as though someone has plunged a knife into my heart and they're starting to turn the blade. A tear escapes from one of my own eyes. Silently, I stand up, and I bring Alison up with me. I bring one arm around her back, and use the other to guide her as we walk out of the church.

 **…**

We're waiting at the desk of Welby State Psychiatric Hospital. A nurse has just handed Alison some paperwork to look through, and she's studying it carefully. I'm scanning it with my own eyes too, so I understand exactly what she's signing herself up for.

"You'll need to remove all your personal effects," the nurse says, gesturing to her wedding and engagement rings. She pulls them off and hands them to me. Not exactly the way I was hoping Ali would give me an engagement ring one day. Should I make that joke? Probably not a good idea.

"Can you give these to Elliot, please?" she says tearfully.

"Yeah, of course," she should know by now that I'd do anything for her. But, it still hurts a little. Looking at the rings her husband gave her. I feel a little uncomfortable.

"This form advises that although you are voluntarily admitting yourself for treatment, you are not necessarily free to leave psychiatric care. You may be involuntarily detained if the doctor deems it necessary." The nurse is stating this apathetically. As though she has to say it a hundred times a day. I don't care how many times she has to say it; she needs to be more compassionate. "Do you understand Mrs. Rollins?"

"Yes," she says, but there's a little waver in her voice.

Before she signs, I place my hand on her wrist, stopping the pen before it hits the paper. I turn to the nurse.

"Can we just have a moment, please?"

She looks at me, and I can't make out her expression. She's looking at me as though I'm just prolonging the inevitable. "Sure," she turns to check some other files, and I pull Ali to one side.

"Ali… do you really want to do this?" I give her a moment to consider her options. Once she signs that form, there's no going back. "I mean… Elliot's on his way home, maybe we should just wait and talk to him."

"I'm only sure of one thing right now. And, that's that I need help." She looks broken.

"I know, but…" my eyes dart about the ceiling, as though searching for a reason she shouldn't go. "They put Charlotte here."

"And, she got better," she's made up her mind. I wish there was something I could do or say to change it, but there isn't. "Thank you… for taking care of me," she smiles a little, just enough to show off her sweet dimples. It's been pretty hard to keep track of who's taking care of who these past few days. My arms fly around her and I hold her close. I'm trying to convince myself that she won't be in here too long. Perhaps the doctors in here are friendly. But, what if they give her the wrong meds again? What if this experience makes her worse? What if she hates it here and they won't let her out? I could let 'what ifs' roll around my head for the remains of the day, but I need to let her go. This is her decision. She's determined to get well, and that should mean she's halfway there already, right?

"If you need _anything,_ " I don't need to finish the sentence, she knows where I'm going with this. As the embrace ends, we just stand staring at each other.

"I love you," she chokes out, her eyes starting to fill with tears.

"I love you, too," it comes out as a whisper. She has no idea how much. She has no idea I mean it as more than just a friend. It's taking everything that I have to not breakdown in front of her right now. She turns to sign the papers, and I need a distraction. Suddenly, I'm fascinated with my cuticle situation. I pick at my nails until she stops writing. Soon enough, another nurse shows up and leads Ali down the corridor. I follow a little of the way, but have to stop at the glass door. Ali looks back at me as it closes, and I let out a great sigh, so uncertain about her future.

 **…**

 _Spencer_

I can't believe what I have just seen. It was Mrs. DiLaurentis. The woman who set off the cameras was Mrs. DiLaurentis. I've seen it with my own two eyes. Does she have Hanna?

"Has anyone phoned Emily?" I look about the group who are all wearing blank expressions. Useless. I immediately search for her number on my phone and dial.

"Hello?" I hear her sniff down the other end of the phone.

"Emily… Are you okay?"

"What's up?" She's avoiding my question. "Is Hanna okay?" I don't know how to deliver this news to Emily, she's going to be distraught.

"Em… they took her. They took Hanna," I go for the ripping off the band aid method. There's no point in stepping on eggshells now. "They came in through the floorboards."

"WHAT?" The whole room hears her voice come through the phone. I can hear her voice cracking as she stuttering and stammering her way through a multitude of questions.

"There's more," I stop her in her tracks. "We think the person who's sending the messages is Mrs. DiLaurentis. We have her on camera." The line goes dead. "Em? Emily?"

 **…**

 _Emily_

Spencer's voice travels from my phone to my ears, but I can't quite hear what she's saying. The phone is by my feet. I'm sitting against my front door, with my knees pulled up to my chest and my head in my hands. It's all too much. First Ali, now Hanna? I can't move my legs, and I can't stop crying. My chest is tight, tighter than it's ever been before. I must be in the middle of a panic attack. At this moment in time, I feel as though I will never breathe properly again. I'm going to vomit. I try to get up but I stumble and fall back to the floor. I try to throw up, but I'm just dry heaving. My stomach is empty. I'm now curled up in the foetal position. My breathing is still erratic. I want to scream, but my body won't allow it. I lightly tap my head on the floor, hoping some rhythm might help my breathing get back to normality.

It takes what seems like a lifetime to calm myself down. I sit up, and close my eyes. I think of Spencer and Aria. I need to be there with them. I manage to stand up with support from the doorframe. I pick up my phone. Spencer's no longer on the other end of it. I send her a quick text: **"I'm coming now, stay there."**

…

I finally pull up to Lost Woods Resort to find that my friends are already outside, gathered around the laptop.

Caleb is the first to approach me. I've never seen him so stressed before. There's a mixture of confusion, anger and empathy lingering in his eyes. "Emily, I'm so sorry," he wraps me in a hug, which is pretty unusual. He ends the embrace quite quickly and holds me at arm's-length. "We'll find her," he says, now determined. I nod at him, before I make my way to the others.

"Em, you look terrible," Spencer says, as she guides me from the car to the laptop. I can always rely on her for an honest opinion. "Do you want to sit down?"

I shake my head rapidly, which was a silly thing to do because I'm now feeling dizzy again. "Show me. Show me the video." They replay the video, and the others watch again.

"Guys, it _is_ Mrs. D," Mona chimes in. Hang on… Mona? Why is she here?

"Toby, should we call the police?" I'm suggesting this because not only could it get Hanna back, but it could release Ali from the hospital, too. She might not be seeing things after all. Although, it still doesn't explain her seeing Wilden, it's a little ray of hope. Before Toby can answer me, our phones go off.

 **"Thanks for giving me Hanna. You're free to go. – A.D."**

A.D?


	5. Tick Tock, Bitches: Part One

**Tick Tock, Bitches: Part One**

 _Emily_

All of us march towards the police station, but pause about a hundred yards away from the main entrance.

"Toby, you speak 'cop', so you should do the talking," Caleb puts forward, quickly.

"Wait, Toby, your job is on the line here. You sure that you want to be a part of this?" Spencer asks, cautiously. I can feel myself becoming impatient. My leg starts to shake. Aria looks me with concern. I pull my jacket closer to me, trying to convince her I'm just cold.

"Are you serious, Spencer?" Caleb's words reflect my thoughts, but his voice is harsh. "Hanna's _life_ is on the line!" I know he cares deeply about Hanna, but he should not be talking to my friend in that tone of voice. I've witnessed him doing that a few times now.

"You asked me for my help, I said I was all in, I still am," Toby drawls out, trying to diffuse the situation.

"Alright, we're wasting time. Let's go!" Caleb demands.

"Guys… Hold up!" Mona stops us before we walk on. She nods in the direction of a familiar woman walking towards the police station. It's Mrs. DiLaurentis. I can see her with my own eyes. This can't be possible! I feel disorientated, and my stomach is churning. This must be a fraction of how Ali was feeling when she saw her.

"Alison's not the only one seeing ghosts tonight," Aria says, coldly.

"Maybe she wasn't seeing ghosts at all!" Yes, Ezra. Thank you, Captain Obvious. I bite my tongue to stop myself from being sarcastic. But, still… we _are_ wasting time.

"Unless we're under a body snatcher invasion, that's a real person!" I make my words clear and precise. I knew Alison couldn't be crazy.

"When they dug up Mrs. D in my backyard, she wasn't just a-little-bit-dead, she was rotting-corpse-dead." Spencer says, insensitively. The colour drains from my face. Though tactless, she is right. That can't be Mrs. DiLaurentis. So, who the hell is it?

"Whoever the hell that is, she was at The Lost Woods tonight," Caleb's words seem to bring us back to focus. "If she's a part of this, she knows where Hanna is, and I will _beat_ the truth out of her if I have to." He heads towards the police station, but is quickly stopped by Toby.

"You can't just walk in there and start throwing punches! Just give me a minute to find out why she's here." And, with that, Toby enters the building, leaving us outside.

"And, who she is," Mona chimes in.

"Or, what she is," I add as an afterthought, questioning whether or not this person is even human. As the others start their own conversations in small groups or pairs, I'm left alone with my thoughts. My first thought is of Hanna, and whether or not she is safe. What is Uber A doing with her? Where could he/she be hiding her? Is this Mrs. DiLaurentis imposter A? Who is she working with? Why is she trying to make Alison think she is crazy? I hope she's okay in that hospital. I know her husband's with her. I need to let him be the one who's there for her, even though it's killing me.

I feel a hand on my arm, and turn to look at Aria. She doesn't say anything; she just smiles reassuringly. She wants me to know she's here, but also knows words aren't appropriate right now. I place my hand on top of hers and smile back. Out of all of us, I think Aria's the only one who's managed to retain some innocence about her. Not naivety, but positivity. It's comforting to have someone like that around.

It isn't long before Toby joins us outside. He runs over to our gathering.

"She's Jessica's twin; Mary Drake," is the first thing he says.

"From the Radley file! She's Charlotte's biological mom," Mona informs us.

"So, why are we still standing here?" Caleb says, angrily. "She thinks Hanna killed her daughter. She's A.D!"

I make it look as though I'm listening to the rest of the conversation, but I'm not. I'm trying to piece together this mystery. We can't just jump to conclusions. I'm in the middle of exploring my third possibility, when a text snaps me out of my thoughts. I look at the smart watch on my wrist.

 **"A lie for a lie, an eye for an eye. The bell tolls for Hanna. A.D."**

Suddenly, the church bells behind us start to chime. We immediately rush towards the building and burst in through the big doors. I'm first in, and look up to the bell. Hanna is tied up in the ropes. It's dark, and I can't see her face. Someone behind me screams. Caleb's shouting, "No… NO."

He rushes up the stairs, quickly followed by Toby. I just about manage to keep up with them. They pull Hanna from the ropes quickly, and settle her down on the floor. I'm kneeling beside her in a second. She isn't moving. She isn't breathing. I immediately break down, tears streaming down my cheeks.

"This isn't happening," I say more to myself than anyone else. She can't be dead. Come on, Hanna! PLEASE, pull through. I can hear that my friends are just as distraught as me, but I'm in no place to be offering support right now. I watch Caleb bring his hand up to her lifeless face.

"It's a mask!" WHAT? I immediately get my breathing back under control. The feeling of overwhelming depression has been replaced by great relief. He peels back the latex mask to reveal a dolls head.

Suddenly, I notice something towards the back of fake Hanna. It looks like a pull string. "What's this?" I say out loud. My voice is still a little shaky. I pull it before anyone has the chance to answer.

A creepy doll-like voice speaks to us: "You've got twenty-four hours to give me Charlotte's real killer or Hanna dies. Tick tock, bitches."

 **…**

An hour later, I'm sitting on Spencer's couch next to Mona, opposite Aria and Ezra. I'm trying to stop myself from going insane. Two women I love dearly are in trouble. If I think about the details, I'm not going to get anything done. What I need to do now is be solution-focused. If there's anyone who can help me with that, it's Spencer Hastings.

"Okay, so my parents are about to board their post-election victory cruise. We can make this place command central." See? She's already making plans on how to solve our problems.

"Look, we've been trying to figure out who killed Charlotte since she died. Do we really think that we're going to solve that mystery in under twenty-four hours?" Ezra makes a valid point, but we don't need that kind of negativity.

"Yes," Caleb says, immediately. "We will because we have to." He looks at me, and I stare back with grateful eyes.

"This is the first time we've all been working together," Mona reasons. "That's what makes it different."

"That, and a creepy twin," Aria reminds us of Mary Drake.

"Mary _has_ to be AD," I conclude. "What bigger motive is there?"

"Well, she has to be working with someone," Mona points out. "While she was running around the woods last night, somebody else dragged Hanna out of that motel room."

"Guys, Mona's right," Spencer monopolises the conversation. "It's just like Ali told Hanna: all of us working together knew what happened to her. So, all of us together can figure out who killed Charlotte."

"I'm sure each one of us has some idea about who did it," Mona says bluntly. Everybody shifts uncomfortably. I feel eyes dart towards me then away again.

 **…**

We're sat around the island in Spencer's kitchen. I'm sat next to Toby, who's been checking up on me for the past hour. A bowl full of names makes its way to Mona. She unfolds the first three pieces of paper. They all have Alison's name on them. As she unfolds the fourth, she looks towards me.

"No name," she states. I shift uncomfortably in my seat. This isn't exactly as anonymous as I thought it was going to be.

She laughs a little before she reads the next one out, "Mona." She glares at Spencer. I have to stifle a smirk at Spencer's reaction. She glares back. She's so confident.

The voting comes to a close with Alison's name being read out once again.

"So… most of us think that Alison killed her sister." You know, for a writer, Ezra isn't exactly good with verbalising his thoughts.

"Okay, now we had to prove she had the motive, and the opportunity to murder Charlotte." Toby says, quietly. He knows I'm not happy with this result, but we need to move forward if we're going to save Hanna's life.

"I don't know about a motive, but she had the opportunity," Aria says. "That night we thought it was Charlotte, but maybe it was Alison." She says, referring to when she and Ezra, at a distance, saw a blonde woman entering the church on the night of Charlotte's murder.

"How do you know it wasn't Charlotte?" I'm still so quick to defend Ali. Even though all the evidence is pointing towards her, I can't help but feel this isn't right.

"Charlotte wasn't wearing the red jacket that night," Toby says. Though it's bad news, his tones have a calming effect. "And, she didn't drive Alison's care home."

"Ali _loved_ Charlotte," still defending her. Has everyone forgotten this? That she spent five years trying to get her out of hospital? "I mean, she stayed her to take care of her. Why would she do that just to kill her as soon as she got out?" I'm starting to sound a little angry. "There's no motive," I say, trying to put it into perspective for the rest of the group.

"She's been on her best behaviour since she got back, but we can't pretend the Alison who blinded Jenna never existed." I want to scream at Toby, but I hold back. This doesn't mean Ali is capable of _murder_. I can't look at him. I turn my head, to see Spencer is studying me intently. She's reading my body language, and knows I'm struggling with this conversation.

"Maybe her goody two shoes act became too much for her to handle," Mona says, bitterly. "Maybe she snapped."

"Or, maybe it was self-defence," Spencer suggests, quickly. "Maybe it was Charlotte who snapped _again_." My God, Spencer could be right. It seems reasonable. I haven't slept properly for about a week now, and my feelings for Ali could be clouding my judgement. "We all know that she was upset about Alison and Elliot being together. Maybe Ali had to defend herself." As she finishes, she looks at me with comforting eyes.

"I don't care why she did it, okay?" Caleb says to the group, starting to get agitated again. "I just want to find a way to _prove_ that she did it, so we can get Hanna back."

"Well, if the person who murdered Charlotte was wearing the red jacket, it'll have Charlotte's blood on it," Toby suggested.

"We'll go to her house and look for it," Ezra says.

"I'm all over Mary Drake," Mona pipes up. "I think she's the fastest route to Hanna."

"I agree," Caleb states. It's unusual for them to agree over anything.

"So, we'll work together," Mona decides.

"She said she was moving into the motel," Toby recalls.

"All roads lead to The Lost Woods Resort," Spencer concludes.

Our phones go crazy, and we look at each other, knowing exactly who it's from. I look down and gasp at the photo before me. It's Hanna. She's clutching her arm, and someone has split her lip open on the right-hand side. She looks terrified. But, she's alive. We _need_ to help her.

I slide Ali's keys across the table to Ezra and Aria, and explain I'm going to the hospital to talk to Ali. She'll tell me the truth. She has to.

 **…**

I arrive at the hospital, and quickly find Elliot. Despite my gut telling me not to, I fill him in on the Mary Drake situation.

"It's strange that Alison didn't know her mother had a twin," he says, sceptically. Like I'm lying, or something.

"Elliot, almost everything about the DiLaurentis family is strange." I want to shake him. You should know this, being Ali's husband. I guess she's decided to omit certain truths when discussing her family. Either that, or he just doesn't listen.

"How do you know that Mary is Charlotte's mom?" Shit. I slipped up. Quickly, make up something.

"Cece Drake… Mary Drake… I just put two and two together," I say, choosing not to tell him about how we found the Radley file on Mary.

"This is important news," he says nonchalantly. Like it's not important at all. "And, I'm glad you confided in me. But, I'm afraid it's not enough to help Alison." What is he talking about? We know she wasn't seeing things now, her mind is fine!

"Ali, thought she was seeing dead people," I snap at him. "This is clear proof that she wasn't!"

"Emily, since the last time you saw her, my wife's condition has rapidly declined," he says, sadly. I swallow the lump in my throat. What does he mean? "I'm afraid she suffered a complete psychotic break.

"I don't understand," I say. And, it's the truth.

"Well, she's consumed with shame," he starts. "I believe prompted by a tragic event that she feels responsible for." Oh, God. My insides are in knots. It's starting to look more likely that she might have killed Charlotte. I just can't get my head around why she would. "Did you have any idea what she could have done to prompt her to have such a lethal dose of guilt?"

I change my face to ensure I give away nothing. I'm about to answer him when I hear Ali scream from her room.

"NO," it's a tortured cry. It disturbs me greatly. I run to her window to see two doctors already holding her down. Elliot rushes in and jabs her in the arm with a drug that appears to calm her down pretty quickly. Though her body is now calm, she still wears a pained expression on her face. Elliot looks at me. I quickly spin away from the window to hide my face. I squeeze my eyelids together, but a few tears still trickle down my face. I walk away from her room, and back to the reception area to calm myself down. What's happened to her? She wasn't like that before.

 **…**

Before I know it, it's night time and I'm still in the hospital. The nurse has finally called me through when I get a phone call from Aria.

"Em, are you okay? Have you spoken to her?" She asks all at once.

"Not yet. I was about to go in,"

"My God, you've been there for hours! Couldn't Elliot pull some strings?"

"Elliot's not here," I say, kind of relieved. "The nurse says she's calmed down and I can see her for a few minutes." I'm just trying to get her off the phone now.

"Well, I hope she tells you the truth because we're running out of time!" My heart is being tugged in two different directions. One way towards my best friend in the entire world, and one way towards the woman I love. I wouldn't wish this kind of decision on my worst enemy.

"I'm allowed to go in now. I'll call you back."

I hang up, and gingerly walk into Ali's room, stopping at the doorway. I take in her appearance. Even through all the stress, she's beautiful.

"Ali?" I try gently, but it looks as though she's asleep. "Are you awake?" I try. I take a few steps closer to her bed. "Ali?" I whisper. She's definitely asleep. "Please wake up," I don't know if she'll understand what's going on even if she is awake. "Hanna's in trouble… and, I need to know the truth." I look around before I crouch down next to her bed. "The truth about Charlotte." I pause for a few seconds. This next part is going to be extremely difficult to get out. "Did you do it?" I whisper. Part of me doesn't want her to answer. Just in case. "Did you… did you kill her?"

Her eyes snap open and make me jump. Her breathing is laboured. I don't think she knows I'm here. She's not looking at me. She's staring up at the ceiling.

"Oh, God, help me," she breathes out. "Please, God, forgive me."

In this moment, I'm 90% certain my worst fears are coming to light. The other 10% is still clinging to the idea that Ali could just be having a bad dream. Within seconds, she's back asleep. I stand up quickly and back out of her room.

I reach for my cell, then stop. I don't want to tell anyone. Not yet. Like I said before, it could just have been a bad dream. I need to be 100% sure before I tell anyone else.

 **…**

On my way back, I stop at the brew. I definitely need coffee if I'm going to have _another_ night of no sleep. I'm starting to feel like a zombie. It's nearly empty, which is good because I don't feel like waiting. I'm at the counter when Sabrina bounds over to serve me.

"Hey, Em," she flashes a toothy smile at me. "Cappuccino?"

"With an extra shot, please," I try to smile back.

"Everything okay?" I must look awful. On top of the tiredness, I'm also trying to process what happened at Welby. I nod, and she doesn't look convinced, but turns to make my coffee anyway.

"Em?" I hear Aria's voice behind me. I've barely turned to face her when she says: "How'd it go with Ali?"

"Erm… turns out they wouldn't let me in to see her." Why am I lying? She frowns. This tiredness must be throwing my acting way off because I haven't convinced Aria either. Quick, change the subject… "Do you still have that key that I gave you?"

"Ali's? Uh… yeah," she fumbles through her bag, and finds them. "Are you thinking about going back there?" She asks, concerned. "I'll come with you," it's more of an offer than a statement.

"Emily," another barista calls me for my coffee.

"Um… I'll give you a call if I go," I lie, turning back to the counter.

"Yeah, okay…" I feel her glance back at me as she leaves The Brew. I watch her leave, and I feel terrible.

"You okay?" I hear as I continue to fumble with my coffee cup.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I state, not even looking at Sabrina as I answer her.

"Again with the lies?" She's referring to a time a few weeks ago when Aria and I lied to her to get into Ezra's apartment. Aria needed some chapters for his book, and he was out of town. We knew Sabrina had a key, so I distracted her whilst Aria broke in. I almost have to laugh, but I suppress it. She's worrying about this, when I have a whirlwind going on inside my head.

"I'm sorry," I force out, still not being able to look at her.

"That was a joke," she smiles comfortingly at me. I finally glance up at her before my eyes hit my coffee again. I owe her a small explanation, I guess.

"It's just… Someone that I care very deeply for…" I pause and shake my head. "I'm starting to think that she did a very bad thing." I can feel myself welling up. "And, now, another friend is paying the price for it." I can't move from this spot. I need to concentrate on my breathing. I hear Sabrina walk towards the door and lock it. I hear her flick the switch of the "Open" sign off. She walks back towards me and places a hand on my arm briefly.

"I made some lemon bars this morning," she says. "It'll go really good with that cappuccino." I let out a deep sigh. "C'mon," she ushers me towards the back of coffeehouse, and sits me down on one of the couches. She brings out a plate with two lemon bars on them. They smell delicious, but I doubt I'm going to be able to stomach them.

"Thanks," I give her a weak smile.

Sabrina grabs one of the treats off the plate and takes a seat next to me. She's really pretty. She looks a lot like Ali actually; her wavy blonde hair, her button nose… kissable lips. I definitely have a type. The main difference is her dark eyes.

"You don't have to tell me what's going on," she starts. "But, if you need anything, you can talk to me, Em."

She places a hand on top of mine. She's so sweet. If Alison wasn't a factor in my life, I could totally imagine myself being with someone like Sabrina. But, I can't imagine myself with anyone else. Which is really shitty, because Ali's already married. I place my other hand on top of hers and smile back.

"I know… thank you."

We quickly fall into casual conversation because Sabrina is one of the easiest people to talk to. I manage to bite into my lemon bar; the first thing I've eaten in days.

"Oh, my God," I look to Sabrina with my mouth full. I must look like a chipmunk because a gentle laugh hits my ears.

"Good right?"


	6. Tick Tock, Bitches: Part Two

**Tick Tock, Bitches: Part Two**

Time must have run away with me because it's 2:35am when I arrive at Alison's. We have 1 hour and 25 minutes to deliver evidence of Charlotte's killer to A.D. Hanna's life is at stake.

I manage to sneak passed Elliot who's asleep on his couch. I creep up the stairs, and look for the red jacket. My search is unsuccessful in Ali and Elliot's room. Suddenly, I remember; Ali said she was packing up some clothes to take to Good Will. The boxes are in her childhood bedroom.

I enter the room and gasp. Everything looks as though it did when we were younger. Everything in its correct place.

As I pick the broken musical jewellery box up from the floor, I can hear Ali say, _"We'll be friends forever."_ A distant memory that seems like it was only yesterday. I place the box back on her dresser and start to study the other things that rest there. Next to bottles of perfume, I can see a picture of the five of us at the beach, years ago.

 _"That's why I love you… You're big on happy endings."_

I look into the mirror I spent so long looking into in my youth. I would constantly check my appearance, always wanting to look my best for Ali. Even when I didn't, she'd always tell me I looked great.

 _"I never told you this, but, you were always my favourite."_

I glance towards her Eiffel Tower statues that stand proud on a table in the corner of her room. They're different sizes, different colours, different materials. I always liked the tall glass one the best.

 _"You'd look so good off the top of the Eiffel Tower… Wind in your hair…"_

Finally, I turn to the bed, and my heart aches.

 _"You were the hardest one to leave behind."_

Some of the throw pillows are new, but the headboard and sheet design remain the same. I'm transported back five years. To _that_ night. It was a few weeks after her return. Neither one of her parents were at the house and she didn't want to be alone. So I stayed, of course I did.

The night I'll always remember. The night we made love.

 _I was lying on my back, staring at the ceiling. It had been a while since I shared a bed with Ali. I couldn't stop thinking about this beautiful woman lying next to me. How much I cared for her. How much I'd missed her. I was thinking about all the things that could go wrong if I made a move. But, I decided to anyway._

 _"Ali? Are you asleep?" I whispered. I looked at her as she shifted in her place, but she didn't turn to face me straight away. It was as though she was contemplating her next move. When she finally turned to look at me, I turned on my side, too. We just stared at each other for a moment. The moonlight bounced off her perfect face in a way I'll never forget. She had never been more beautiful than in that exact moment. I leaned in and kissed her. She knew it was coming, because she lifted her head to greet my lips with her own. I leaned back and studied her for a moment, checking to see that she definitely wanted this, too. I remember bringing my hand to her face, and kissing her with such passion. She pushed back the covers, and her hand went to my back, pulling my body closer to hers. I can still feel the tingles now. As I moved my hands into her hair, the kisses became more heated. She rolled us over. I was on my back, now staring at the amazing woman above me. She slowed the kisses down, but they were deep. It was as though she was savouring them. Her tongue gently slid into my mouth, and our kiss became perfect. I'd never felt so much emotion poured into one kiss. No one had ever kissed me like that before. Her hands started to explore my body, and she quickly became tired of my pyjamas. Straddling me, she brought us both to a sitting position. She whipped my vest top up and over my head, before getting rid of her own. We took a moment to take each other in before plunging back into the kiss. I break it only to kiss down her jawline to her neck. As she unclasped my bra, I left a tiny love bite in the crook where her neck joins her shoulder. She pushed me back onto the bed, and continued to kiss me._

It was a perfect night. And, if I think about what happened next, I'm not going to be able to go through with this. I close my eyes, and swallow, trying to refocus. I'm shaking as I make my way over to the stacked boxes on the right-hand side of the bed. I open the box at the top, and start to rifle through her old clothes. I stop when I see red material at the bottom. Hesitantly, I pull the item of clothing out of the box. It's the coat.

"Oh, Ali," I whisper. "What did you do?"

 **…**

I walk across the road from Ali's to Spencer's, and it feels like it's taking me hours. My car is still on Spencer's drive. I dive into the driver's seat, and contemplate my options. Should I just drive away? No, I can't do that. Not to Hanna. I turn my car's music station on, hoping that maybe this will relax me enough to fully comprehend what I'm about to do. Hanna told me about this band. Catfish and the Bottlemen. British guys. The tones are soothing, and I could just fall asleep to them.

 _You know when you're gone I struggle at night_

 _Dreams of you fucking me all the time_

Five years later, and I still dream of that night. The one night I had with Alison. I dreamt of it through every short-lived relationship I had in California. Sometimes I didn't want to sleep because of them. They made me miss her too much.

 _And I know you're tied up_

 _And I know your phone's fucked_

 _I'm craving your call like a soldier's wife_

It's impossible for Ali to contact me. I know that. But, I miss her voice so much. I want to hear it one more time, before we hand the jacket to A.D. I want to talk to her, and tell her the reasons why we're doing this. I don't want her to think we're betraying her. A little part of me still feels like I am. But there's no other way around it. I feel like I've analysed the situation a million times. There really is no other way.

 _I wanna bring you home myself_

 _Bring you home myself_

I just want her here, with us. But, I know she'll be safer in Welby. Plus, Elliot… her husband… he's there to look after. He won't let anything bad happen to her.

 _Come back, move in, mess my place_

 _Chest infect me, waste my days_

 _'Cause I know you love to drive me up the wall_

 _I know you love to drive me up the wall_

I keep forgetting she has a husband. I keep forgetting that she's happy with someone else. Regardless, I love her. I'm _in_ love with her. I always have been and I always will be. It's going to send me insane eventually.

 _I wanna bring you home myself_

 _Bring you home myself_

 _And I'm so impatient when you're not mine_

 _I just want to catch up on all the lost times_

Those were the longest years of my life. The one's when she wasn't here. The one's when I thought she was dead. When she was back, I never wanted to leave her side. Not to eat, not to sleep. I just wanted to be there with her. I wanted to look after her; make sure no one could hurt her ever again. I wanted to make sure she always felt safe, and like she never had to go back on the run.

Somewhere down the line, I failed her. And, I'm about to do it again.

 _And I'll say I'm sorry if I sound sordid_

 _'Cause all I really ever want is you._

I'm sorry, Ali. Please don't hate me. I wouldn't be able to bear it.

 **…**

"Emily, what is this about?" Spencer says quickly, as I rush into her house. I need to get this out now, or I'm never going to say it. They're in a rush to get somewhere.

"I lied to you earlier, Aria," I say, turning my attention immediately to her. "I _did_ see, Ali. And, I'm pretty sure she confessed to killing Charlotte." Caleb looks like he's going to punch me.

"Did you record it?" Ezra asks.

"No, it all happened so fast, and I wasn't expecting her to say that she did it." I confess. "I was the 'hold out' earlier. I didn't write down Ali's name because I didn't want to believe it was her."

"Look, this is all great, Emily," Caleb says, sarcastically. "But, the clock is ticking, and it doesn't help us. We still can't prove it."

"When I was staying with Ali, she told me she was packing up some stuff to give to Good Will. I didn't know it would be in there," I start to rummage through my bag. "I just had a hunch," I pull out the coat and throw it onto Spencer's breakfast bar. My friends all look at one another, almost as if they weren't expecting their suspicions to be correct. We don't have time for this. I'm very aware we only have 37 minutes left to save Hanna.

"Before we hand it over to A.D, can we please go over this one more time. I love Hanna just as much as you all do," I think probably more so, but I won't mention it. "But, we're about to hand over one of our own for another," I say, dismally.

"But, it's different, Em!" Aria says, immediately. "Hanna is innocent, Ali is not."

"Look, we know that Ali's a master manipulator. But, I don't believe she's a cold-blooded killer." Spencer states, firmly. "Whatever happened that night, I believe that she was protecting herself, but she still killed Charlotte." She's starting to raise her voice at me. I feel absolutely helpless, and a little like I'm being ganged up on. I just want what's best for everyone. I wish we could find a way of helping both of them.

"We don't have time to debate this!" Toby says, and I know he's right. "Right now, Alison is safely locked up at Welby, and Hanna's life is on the line. We need to get that jacket to A.D." The end of Toby's sentence is muffled by the sound of a car starting. I turn around to find the jacket s no longer on the counter.

"Caleb?" Spencer shouts. He's gone, and the jacket's gone.

Ezra runs to see if he can stop the car, but he's too late. "He's gone," he says, quickly.

"How does he know where to go?" Aria asks.

"He took my phone!" Spencer says, worry evident in her voice. I immediately try to call it, but he doesn't answer.

 **…**

We're all waiting around anxiously. It's 4:05am – 5 minutes past our deadline. Aria and Ezra sit on one sofa, whilst Spencer and Toby occupy the other. I'm sat away from them in Spencer's kitchen, but I can see them from where I am. The last time I glanced up, they were having separate conversations. I wasn't really paying attention to what they were saying. My leg has been shaking nonstop for the past ten minutes. I'm clutching my phone, and I can't stop staring at it. I'm not sure who I'm expecting to hear from. Caleb? Hanna? Ali? A.D? Suddenly, someone else's hands surround mine. I look up to see Spencer sitting opposite me. My leg stops shaking, and I try to wear an expression that isn't completely twisted by pain.

"They'll be fine. Both of them," she says, as though reading my mind.

I try a smile, but it's brief. She turns to her kettle, and starts to boil water. I'm guessing she's sensed everyone's need for coffee. Soon enough, she places a mug in front of me, filled with black coffee. It hits my tongue and it's scalding, but I don't really care. It burns as it trickles down my throat and helps me wake up a little. I seriously need to get a decent night's sleep before I pass out.

"Why don't you come join us over here?" Spencer asks, gently. "It's comfier…" As I get up and make my way to one of the sofas, I receive a text. My heart has stopped. I look down to see it's an unknown number. My thumb hovers over the option to open the text. I look at Spencer for guidance.

"It's an unknown number," I state. I've had literally hundreds of these, why am I so nervous about this one.

"Open it!" Spencer says, curiosity outweighing concern.

 **"I've just dropped the jacket off. No word from A yet. You did the right thing, Em. – Caleb."**

Oh, thank God! He must just be using a burner phone. As I'm showing the others the text, Mona walks in through the back door.

"I lost Mary Drake, but Caleb says he has what we need to get Hanna back," Mona starts to ramble. "Where is he? What's this piece of evidence he's using?"

"Mona, he left a while ago," Aria cuts in. "He took Ali's jacket to the Lost Woods Resort."

"Has anyone heard anything about Hanna?" She asks, hopefully. Aria shakes her head, and Mona slumps down on one of the sofas. "I guess we just have to wait."

 **…**

Four of us have squeezed onto one of Spencer's small couches; Mona, Ezra and I sitting on the cushions, and Toby sitting on the back. I guess we feel safer as a pack.

It's 6am when Caleb finally arrives back at the house. I was desperately hoping he might have Hanna with him. He looks like I feel.

"Have you heard anything?" He asks us, throwing his hands up for a fleeting moment.

"Not yet. Radio silence," Toby says, grimly.

I'm feeling uncomfortable, so I make my way over to Spencer and Aria who are standing next to Spencer's breakfast bar. I know Hanna is the only person I should be focussing on, but I also can't help but think we've put Alison in huge danger.

"One of us should go to Welby to check on Ali," I say, making it clear to the girls that it's not a suggestion.

"We did the right thing," Aria says, coldly. "She's in a safe place."

"Yeah, Welby's locked up like Fort Knox, Em," Spencer looks me dead in the eye. I know she's trying to reassure me.

"I know," I sigh out. "You're right," I give in. I remind myself again that Ali is in safe hands. Not only with the hospital staff, but also her husband.

Now, where the hell is my best friend?

 **…**

 _Alison_

I can't believe they have me strapped down to this hospital bed. I'm not crazy, I just know I'm not safe here. I've made a few attempts to get out, and they put it down to a psychotic break. I feel someone touch my hand and my eyes flutter open. It's Elliot. I smile at him, relieved. Maybe he will help me.

"How are you feeling?" He smiles.

I try to speak, but I can't verbalise my response. Instead, I shift my facial expression to show I'm not happy being locked up here. I watch as he pulls a needle and some liquid out of his suit jacket.

"Maybe a little crazy?" He's wearing a strangle smile as he puts the needle components together. "Don't worry, I am going to take care of you."

He fills the needle with the liquid. I can't quite make out what it says on the bottle, but it's one I haven't seen before.

"I'm going to make sure you live a long life," his expression turns dark as he stares me in the eye. "Rotting away in here," it comes out in an English accent. My eyes widen as I realise what's going on. He's trying to make me crazy. But, why? What have I done that's so terrible?

He leans down and whispers in my ear, "I know you killed Charlotte."

WHAT?! The mention of my sister's name makes my heart ache. Why is he accusing me of this? I would never harm her. Without warning, he jabs me in the arm with the needle. I'm so scared.

"Just like you Alison, karma can be such a bitch."


	7. Bedlam: Part One

**Bedlam: Part One**

 _Hanna_

I rush through the front door of Spencer's house and immediately burst into hysterical tears. Quickly, I feel two arms surround me. Without looking, I know they belong to Emily Fields. I cling onto her and sob into her shoulder, Mary Drake's blanket still covering me.

"Shh, it's okay Han," she coos. "You're safe. We're here."

Soon, another pair of arms wrap around the both of us. It's Aria. I can feel one of Spencer's hands rub up and down my back.

"Caleb, go grab one of my jumpers and some pyjama bottoms," she demands.

There's conversation, and Aria starts asking me questions. I can't concentrate on what she's saying. I watch her lips move, but the sound is muffled. It's a bit like I'm underwater.

 **…**

 _Emily_

"There's someone out there," Ezra says, as he rushes out the door.

Hanna's head is starting to sway. I try and keep it steady with one hand and lead her towards a comfy chair with the other. I sit her down and kneel next to her, still holding onto her hand. She seems more relaxed now, but not totally at ease. Her limp fingers suddenly squeeze tightly around my hand, and she looks at me with worried eyes.

"He hurt me," she tells us. She looks around the group, then quickly back to me. She's looking for guidance but I don't have any. I feel like I'm failing her. "He was keeping me in this huge shed," she recalls. "But, I escaped. I got out and I ran."

"Here, Han, put these on," Caleb hands her some clothes, but she doesn't take them. She just stays wrapped in the blanket. I take them from his hands.

"C'mon, these will be comfier," I coax. She looks about herself and starts to loosen the blanket a little. She shows me her arms but keeps them hidden from the rest of the group. They're covered in bruises and marks that look like burns. My God, what happened to her? I start to help her with the jumper.

"I can dress myself!" She snaps, suddenly grabbing the clothes from me, and starting to dress herself discretely.

"We're going to see a doctor," Caleb demands.

"NO!" Hanna raises her voice. "I'm not seeing a doctor. Not yet. We need to go through this."

Ezra comes in from outside. It looks as though he has something to tell us.

"Mary Drake dropped her off," he says quickly. "Found her in the woods."

"Why are you talking about me like I'm not here?" Hanna snaps again. Clearly she's got over her initial shock and she's agitated. She has her clothes on and is now curled back up on the chair. "Can you get rid of this?" She hands me the blanket and, though her voice is calmer, I can tell it's not really a request. I put it on the arm of the couch, and sit next to Aria, facing Hanna the whole time.

"Here, Hanna," Ezra places a cup of coffee in front of her, and it's on the table for less than a second before she snatches it up and holds it close.

"Hanna, are you sure you don't wanna go to the doctor?" Caleb asks.

"I'm sure."

The tone in her voice seems neutral. If I wasn't looking at her, I'd say she was apathetic about the whole situation. But, I'm looking at her. I can see the pain in her face.

"Han, I think you should," Aria says, gently.

"Doctors are going to ask questions," Hanna says, sharply. "And, then I'll have to lie. No doctors, no questions." It seems so simple. But, we're worried for her wellbeing.

"Hanna," Spencer sits close to her. "I'm sorry, but you have to tell us about Mary Drake picking you up." Really, Spencer? Now is _not_ the time.

"Is she real?" I feel my eyes prick with tears as I'm reminded of Ali, and her current perception of reality. Please… not my best friend, too. "I mean, is she really who she says she is?" Thank God. She's still thinking rationally.

"We think so," I offer, just relieved that her mind is functioning normally.

"Yeah, she was a patient at Radley," Spencer says, quickly. "We found her file."

"What?"

"She's Alison's aunt," I explain. "Charlotte's biological mother."

"The DiLaurentis family adopted Charlotte," Aria adds.

"So, it's her!" Hanna's convinced. I can see it in her face. "Mary Drake – she's been after us all along. Someone killed her daughter, and she shows up to get even."

"Yeah, we're pretty sure she didn't show up just to get into the resort business," Caleb quips.

"She must have been chasing me when I got out…" It's almost as though Hanna's talking to herself. Like she's trying to put all the pieces together. "Why wouldn't she just run me over instead of bringing me here?"

"Because we gave her exactly what she wanted," Ezra says. There's an awkward silence.

"Charlotte's killer," Hanna frowns.

"We're convinced it's Alison," Caleb's words hit me, and I have to take a deep breath in. Don't say anything, Em. Now is not the time. Just focus on Hanna. Give her the information and keep her calm.

"We found evidence," Aria adds.

Hanna sighs deeply. She looks like me; exhausted and helpless. Only there's a large amount of fear there, too. I'd do anything to help my best friend through this pain right now.

"Spencer, can I have something stronger than coffee in here?" She hands the mug to Spencer.

"Ya!" Spencer takes the cup and heads towards her liquor cabinet.

I know all the evidence points to Alison as Charlotte's killer. I know logically, I know rationally, and I know using every sense in my head that she's the person who's most likely responsible. But, my heart is _screaming_ at my head. It's telling me she wouldn't… no… she _couldn't_ kill her sister. I feel as though we've framed her. Like we planted false evidence or something. She could be in a lot of danger. And, it would be our fault. It would be _my_ fault. She's safe in Welby. But, for how long?

A knock at the door brings me out of my thoughts.

"That's Mona," Ezra says, as he walks to answer it.

"Well, be careful in case it isn't," Spencer says, firmly.

I can't sit still any more, I need to do something. I stand up to make my way towards Hanna, but Ezra has just walked through with a huge vase of white flowers.

"There was nobody there. Just this," he places the bouquet on the breakfast bar.

As we gather around it, Caleb reads the note that was attached.

"Couldn't have done it without you. Glad we're on the same team. -A.D."

 **…**

We've spent most of the day at Spencer's, altogether. We definitely feel safer as a pack. But, now Hanna wants to be back at her own place, and there's no way I was letting her go alone. Spencer and Caleb offered us a lift. As we make our way to Hanna's apartment, I make sure I am extra aware of my surroundings. I need to keep her safe. I checked the car before she got into it. Isn't that insane? Knowing that I have to do things like that because there's a small possibility the brakes could be cut or there's a bomb under the hood. As it turns out, it was fine, but we can never be too careful. That's just the world my friends and I live in now. I feel safer on foot, but still flinch at every leaf rustle, or twig snap.

When we're finally through her front door, Caleb picks up a package.

"It's from Lucas," he confirms, and I can feel the relief radiating from my friends. He hands it to Hanna, who immediately puts it on the dining table and heads towards the kettle.

"Sit down, I can do that," I offer.

"I can boil my own water. Thanks," she says. I'm a little hurt by her tone, but I just have to remind myself that she's been through a lot. I leave her to it, and join Spencer and Caleb who are still lingering by the front door.

"Can I borrow you for a minute?" I ask Spencer, and make my way towards Hanna's room. I want to talk to her about how we're going to help Hanna through this. But, she doesn't follow me immediately, so I start getting things ready. I fill my arms with blankets and sheets. I want to stop in the living room. I want to make sure no one comes in during the night. Where _is_ Spencer? I make my way back out of the room, and interrupt the quiet conversation Hanna and Caleb are having. "Where's Spencer?"

They look at me blankly, so I pop the sheets down on the couch and head out the front door in search of her. Thank God, she's right here. She can't be disappearing on me like this; my nerves are fried! She looks upset, though. She's not exactly crying, but I can see a few tears rolling down her cheek.

"Hey, you ok?" I approach her gently, and she turns away to hide her face.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Uh… I just wanted to be by myself for a minute." Though she's stammering, it seems to come out all at once. I'm not entirely sure why she's upset, but I have an inkling that it's about Caleb. He and Hanna have started to become close again.

"I think we're all feeling a little lost right now," I say. I'm referring not only to this incident, but to Hanna being kidnapped, to Ali being in hospital, to Aria's love triangle situation. Everything.

"I'm fine," she says, quickly. Sure. I'm just going to change the subject. And, I'm going to change it to something I'm genuinely interested in. The thing that's been on my mind for hours.

"Do you think Ali's safe?"

"At Welby?" She looks at me as if to say, 'not this again, Em'. But, I can't help myself. I need to let it out.

"I mean, places like that are designed to keep people from getting out, not from getting in." She looks slightly more concerned at my words. "Maybe we need to warn Elliot." I don't particularly want to talk to him at all, but I'm willing to do anything to keep Alison safe.

"Well… what do you want to tell him?" She's losing her patience with me. "That we told someone his wife killed her own sister – who's actually her cousin?" His wife. It hurts so badly. "I mean, he'd lock _us_ up!"

"Spencer," I hear Caleb's voice as he comes into the hallway. "Hey, you want me to take you home?"

"Yeah," she says, shortly.

"Okay,"

It's an awkward exchange. They look at each other for a moment before Caleb re-enters Hanna's apartment.

"Em," she steps closer to me. "Keep an eye on Hanna."

The words are simple but they're loaded with meaning. It's as though she's telling me Hanna's the only person I should be caring about right now. And, of course I do. But, I can't help but have concern for Ali, too. I feel guilty. Maybe my friends feel as though I haven't done enough to help Hanna. I nod at Spencer, but my eyes hit the floor. I'm feeling ashamed. Like I'm taking up too much of my mind thinking about Ali when I should be solely focused on Han.

"You feel it, too?" I'm referring to the vibe that's radiating from Hanna.

"Yeah, she's got that look."

"The dollhouse look."

 **…**

 _Hanna_

Thank God Caleb's left. It took everything I have in me not to beg him to stay. Which is totally inappropriate because he's with Spencer now. And, I'm engaged! But, he's always made me feel safe. And, right now, I don't feel safe. That is, until my best friend walks back through the door. Now we're alone, I look at her. I mean, _really_ look at her. I haven't seen her look this way since Maya died. Not even in the dollhouse. I would bet any amount of money that she's had no sleep for a week.

"Do you want to give Jordan a call?" I know she's only suggesting this because she thinks it might comfort me, but her words annoy me. Talking to Jordan is the last thing I want to do right now.

"And, tell him what? That I got myself a little kidnapped for a while?" I say, sarcastically.

"Maybe you just want to hear his voice?" She's so gentle in her response, and I immediately feel horrible for snapping at her. At the same time, I know she won't mind. I'm so lucky to have her.

"It's too late to call him now," I make an excuse. Though I don't know why. If I was going to tell anyone about the doubts I'm having about Jordan and I's relationship, it would be Emily. "I'll do it later," I get up and walk to my bedroom, throwing myself down on the bed.

 **…**

 _Emily_

Okay, a half hour is long enough. I need to go and check on her. I knock lightly on her bedroom door and there's no response. I push it open a little, only to find Han asleep on top of the covers. At a closer look, I can see her tear-stained face, and all I want to do is wake her up and tell her everything will be fine. Instead, I take the shoes off her feet, and cover her over with a blanket. I close the blinds on her window, and knock the light out. It's about 9pm, but I am so ready to try and sleep. Especially seeing as I haven't had any for a week.

I make my way to the couch, and climb under the sheets. As my head hits the pillow, I can already feel myself drifting. I'm so close to dreamland, when my phone rings, startling me and bringing me straight back to reality. I try to block it out. I squeeze my eyes tight together, but the noise is persistent. It's a good job I'm not bunking with Han tonight. After some tired fumbling, I pull the phone out of my bag. Unknown number. This is always a risky moment. I answer it anyway.

"Hello?" I can hear some rustling but no voices. "Hello?" I try again.

"Help me," are the two words that send shivers down my spine.

"Who is this?" I ask, starting to feel more awake.

"Help me, Emily!" That's Alison! And, she sounds desperate.

"Ali?" I need to double-check. I need to make sure my mind isn't playing tricks on me.

"Em, I need you."


End file.
